The flagship smartphone has become more affordable. Companies like OnePlus, Xiaomi, etc, have made it possible to get high-end specs, great performance, at more reasonable prices.

While Apple and Samsung will still cost you north of Rs 50,000 for premium smartphones, the Indian market now has several options in the under Rs 30,000 bracket which deliver stunning performance. Two phones that have managed to grab headlines in recent times are: Xiaomi Mi 5 and the newly launched OnePlus 3.

Xiaomi’s Mi 5 comes with 3GB RAM/32 GB in India and is priced at Rs 24,999; the OnePlus 3 has 6GB RAM+64GB storage and costs Rs 27,999. Both come with the latest Snapdragon 820 processor.

So which phone is the one to go for under Rs 30,000? Xiaomi Mi 5 or OnePlus 3? Here’s our comparison

Watch our video review of OnePlus 3

Design, DisplayMi 5: When it comes to design, Xiaomi has done an outstanding job. The 5.15-inch display means it will appeal to all those who love more compact phones. The curved 3D glass back, metal frame on the side, are all plus points. But what really stands out with Mi 5 is that Xiaomi has managed to keep this phone incredibly thin and light. The display, which has a full HD resolution is also impressive.

The camera unit on the back doesn’t jut out like with other flagships. However, the glossy back means Mi 5 is prone to slipping, and you should get a cover for this.

OnePlus 3: With OnePlus 3, that iconic sandstone finish is gone and instead what you get is a full-metal unibody design.

As we noted in our review, OnePlus 3 is stylish and does look like an an HTC flagship. It is also one of the thinner devices in this segment (7.4mm). It has a square camera module in the rear with the LED flash behind and a special notifications toggle as well. OnePlus 3 sticks with the 1080p resolution for display, just like the Mi 5.

Performance, SoftwareMi 5: Mi 5 in India comes with the Snapdragon 820 processor clocked at 1.8 Ghz coupled with 3GB RAM/32GB storage. Mi 5 doesn’t support expandable storage. In benchmark tests, Mi 5 is among the top phones and can handle gaming, multi-tasking quite easily. However, the one issue we faced with Mi 5 was over-heating, sometimes with camera, and during gaming.

MIUI 7 on Android 6 is also far from perfect, with features like Google Now on Tap missing from the phone. Xiaomi can do better on the software front to solve many of these issues. Let’s not forget MIUI 8 stable build is promised by August 16 in India.

OnePlus 3: OnePlus 3 comes with 6GB RAM, Snapdragon 820 clocked at 2.15Ghz and where performance goes this one can handle anything you throw at it: Heavy-duty gaming, multitasking, etc.

We’ve not faced any heating issues with the OnePlus 3 in our review, and we noted this was important, given how the OnePlus 2 was prone to heating issues. OnePlus 3 runs Android 6.0 with Oxygen OS version 3, which is pretty much stock Android, and might appeal to some users who don’t like customised skins. However the company has done some tweaks to improve the user experience significantly.

Our Pick: OnePlus 3, as so far it has managed to keep cool.

CameraMi 5: Mi 5 comes with a 16 megapixel rear camera with 4-axis OIS and a 4 Ultrapixel camera on the front for selfies. Mi 5’s camera performs quite well, both in well-lit up situations and in low-light, although we faced issues when it came to focusing on some objects with this camera.

As we said in our review, Mi 5’s camera is good enough to use when you’re out dining with friends at night and the results won’t disappoint.

The selfie camera is also quite good.

OnePlus 3: Camera is where OnePlus has managed to set the bar on what a great mid-range Android phone can offer and OnePlus 3 delivers really well. Low-light shots, outdoor pictures, colour reproduction: OnePlus 3 gets it right on all accounts.

We had said in our review, the kind of detail available on this phone’s camera is incredible, and puts it right there next to the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge or the LG G5, which is great considering the price-tag.

Our pick: OnePlus 3 is the winner when it comes to camera

BatteryMi 5: Mi 5 has 3000 mAh battery, which should easily last a day’s usage. The smartphone supports Quick-charge 2.0 in India and has a Type-C USB port for charging. We’ve used this one with a 3G and 4G SIM and the battery has lasted all day.

OnePlus 3: OnePlus 3 has a 3000 mAh battery as well, and it lasted 12 hours for us, with heavy usage and 4G SIMs in both slots. And yes, like the Mi 5, OnePlus 3 supports Type-C USB charging

Our pick: Both are evenly matched on the battery side.

Conclusion
Xiaomi Mi 5, priced at Rs 24,999 has a solid performance to offer and comes in a stunning design. For those who like compact smartphones, this one fits the bill. However our major concern with Mi 5 is the buggy software.

With OnePlus 3, the camera is outstanding and the phone has 6GB RAM and 64GB storage to offer. But do note, OnePlus 3 is the pricier option of the two.